Flybox - The Retractable Power Socket For Use In Showrooms And Other Large Indoor Spaces

Flybox provides safe power connectivity within large internal spaces exactly where you need it. It provides all the benefits of a flip-lid floor box, which keeps sockets hidden under the floor until you need them, with the versatility of a lengthy fly lead. The result is easy access to power in all corners of the building – a socket where you need it, when you need it.

Simply open the lid and pull the retractable fly lead to the location where a 13-Amp socket is needed and cover the trailing cable with cable protectors to prevent trips. Simple and versatile, Flybox provides power accessibility for a wide range of commercial and public building uses, such as digital displays, lighting, signage, freestanding heaters and even lighting up the Christmas tree! When the power source is no longer needed, unplug the devices, return the fly lead to the floor box and close the lid. No need for additional extension cables or standard fly leads – everything is contained within the floor box and stored away until you need it next time.

With a robust stainless steel construction and choice of lids to suit the floor type, Flybox is ideal for all kinds of large internal spaces, including showrooms, museums, event spaces, exhibition halls, pop-up food and drink festivals and temporary indoor markets. It can also provide safe access to power in covered outdoor areas, subject to adequate protection from moisture and rainfall. www.popuppower.co.uk

Gilberts Delivers The Low-Down

Gilberts is delivering the low-down on how building services can meet the challenge of the changing office landscape. The drivers of reduced energy costs, creating a healthier working environment and flexible office spaces are combining to see increasing demand for underfloor air distribution (UfAD): up 8% according to market data. 

Gilberts' uniquely designed GFS floor swirl diffuser brings new dimensions for designers and users of the internal space. Its performance characteristics mean GFS can help towards WELL, LEED and BREEAM accreditation.

The GFS circulates air from the floor void with no need for direct ducting. As a result, it can be positioned anywhere across the floor plan. And GFS maximises agile offices: all that is needed is repositioning of the diffuser - often just swapping a floor tile - with no need to reconfigure the air circulation paths nor ducting. The patented design enables the choice of horizontal or diagonal (45°) swirling omni-directional or diffused airflow at floor level.

Heating and cooling is quickly and effectively delivered where the occupants are. Excess heat generated by the occupants - people and machines - and airborne pollutants are displaced upwards and out, optimising indoor air quality and comfort. Gilberts has incorporated a volume control damper into the diffuser which regulates the quantity of airflow as required for occupant comfort and doubles as a dirt trap.

The diffuser plate removes easily to facilitate cleaning, adjustment or maintenance. Whilst predominantly used for air supply, GFS can, like all Gilberts’ swirl diffusers, also function as the ventilation extract, further simplifying the design and specification process.

Dave Harding, Gilberts’ Sales & Marketing Director, comments: “The efficiency of UfAD systems - delivering heating and cooling at low level - is established. Our GFS enhances those proven USPs. It gives much greater flexibility over how the occupied space is used, even as that usage changes. It’s a simple consideration to the specification that can have a huge impact on the appeal for owners and tenants.”

Gilberts has a proven track record in supporting creation of stimulating work environments, with projects including the British Music Experience in Liverpool, the F35 flight simulator at BAE Systems in Warton and lecture theatres at University of Lancashire. All of Gilberts' products - standard lines and bespoke solutions - are designed and developed in accordance with BS EN ISO 9001:2015 quality standard in their state-of-the-art 140,000 ft² facility in Blackpool.

The test facility, including an air movement laboratory and specialist CFD and BIM software suites, give customers unrivalled technical support and specification validation. The company is committed to protecting the environment by minimising embodied life cycle carbon in its manufacturing processes and has achieved bronze status in the Supply Chain Sustainability School.  https://gilbertsblackpool.com

What is Shaping 2026 Trends? With Havwoods

As homeowners continue to seek spaces that balance comfort, character and longevity, the design landscape for 2026 places a renewed focus on natural materials, elevated textures and refined colour palettes. Drawing on his experience as a judge at the prestigious British institute of Interior Design Awards, and his deep understanding of global design narratives, Paul Moody, Global Marketing & Digital Director at Havwoods, outlines the trends set to shape the year ahead - demonstrating how the brand’s extensive and carefully curated timber portfolio enables truly future-proof, beautifully crafted interiors. With an emphasis on responsibly sourced timber with an incredible portfolio of species, colours and patterns across multiple surface applications, Havwoods continues to lead the conversation on timber surfaces that deliver both beauty and durability.

Warm Neutrals

“Soft, comforting tones, including warm neutrals, clays and muted browns, remain central to 2026 interiors. These shades help to create a cocooning, grounded atmosphere and work effortlessly alongside natural materials such as wood and stone. Their versatility means they can be used to soften contemporary spaces or bring balance and warmth to more traditional settings. Designers looking to incorporate this palette often gravitate toward gently toned timber flooring, which enhances the sense of calm and natural harmony. Some of the lighter oaks and subtle honey hues of our extensive flagship Venture Plank collection are a great example, offering colours that sit quietly within the scheme while reinforcing the trend’s understated, nature-led character.”

Look Beyond the Floor

“In 2026, timber planks as wall panelling and wood veneers will continue to introduce warmth, texture and architectural depth into a space. Designers and homeowners are increasingly using wood to create feature walls that feel refined rather than rustic, favouring slim profiles, clean lines and soft, natural tones that enhance a room without overwhelming it. This trend celebrates timber as a tactile, calming backdrop, which is ideal for living areas, bedrooms and transitional spaces where a sense of quiet luxury is desired. Premium veneers such as our Elegante range, introduce three-dimensional natural beauty to walls, ceilings and curved architectural features, whereas materials such as Brezza, from our Italian Collection, exemplify the type of contemporary timber surface that works beautifully on vertical applications, helping to create interiors that feel both grounded and elevated.”

Tactile Texture

“Tactility continues to grow in importance for 2026, with interiors increasingly celebrating the authentic aesthetic of natural materials. Designers are gravitating toward surfaces that showcase visible grain, natural wood textures and handcrafted patterning - elements that add depth and character, while maintaining a sense of calm. This renewed interest in organic texture is also encouraging the use of innovative, wood-based surfaces that offer subtle variation and a crafted sensibility. Havwoods’ TreeAzzo range introduces a modern, terrazzo-influenced approach to timber, showing how pattern and natural warmth can be combined in a refined, contemporary way. Used on floors, kitchen surfaces, tabletops or vertical applications, these softly tonal surfaces help bring movement and a comforting, tactile dimension to interior schemes.”

Creating Zones with Flooring

“With open-plan layouts continuing to dominate residential design, flooring has become an effective tool for subtle spatial zoning. Homeowners and designers are increasingly using pattern variations - such as herringbone, chevron or Versailles panels - to guide movement, define living areas or frame dining zones without relying on physical partitions. These shifts in plank formats help to introduce architectural rhythm and layered visual interest whilst maintaining a cohesive overall aesthetic. A wide choice of formats enables specifiers and homeowners to create gentle transitions that enhance both functionality and flow within open-plan spaces.”

Sustainability as a Design Essential

“Sustainability remains a defining design driver for 2026, influencing not only the material choices but the wider aesthetic and ethical direction of interior spaces. As homeowners seek environments that feel meaningful, enduring and genuinely connected to nature, materials with clear provenance and low-impact credentials are becoming central to every trend conversation. Havwoods’ long-standing commitment to responsibly sourced timber, reduced-waste manufacturing and transparent material assessment aligns seamlessly with this shift. Our products and supply chain are supported by the industry’s most respected environmental certifications, demonstrating how you can achieve a refined, luxury finish without compromising environmental integrity. Through rigorous supply-chain responsibility and ongoing carbon-reduction initiatives, Havwoods supports the growing demand for interiors that are not only beautiful, but consciously crafted for the future.” www.havwoods.com/uk